Social policy, imperiled communities and HIV/AIDS transmission in prisons: a call for zero tolerance

Abstract

HIV/AIDS and African-American male imprisonment contribute to the destruction of African-American communities. African-American men and HIV/AIDS are disproportionately represented throughout all sectors of the criminal justice industry, including the juvenile justice system. The criminal justice system contributes to unacceptably high African-American male imprisonment rates and HIV prevalence directly via the 'war on drugs' and lax enforcement of institutional policy among other things, and indirectly through perpetuation of economic hardship which further exacerbates imprisonment rates, thus closing the loop of a vicious cycle of revolving prison doors and HIV contraction. This article briefly introduces surrounding socio-political issues that contextualizes the ensuing discussion. It then considers the State of Georgia to explore issues of incidence and how HIV transmission occurs in prisons, uses Prison Rape Elimination Act data to shed light on accountability issues and the degree to which the nature of sex in prisons is romantic or violent, and concludes by offering overarching solutions and encouraging action in response to the myriad associated problems.

Navigating Community Institutions: Black Transgender Women’s Experiences in Schools, the Criminal Justice System, and Churches

“…Some participants who had spent time in jail described the designation of "special" areas for gay or transgender individuals, and being given the option of either solitary confinement or conforming to normative gender codes, by cutting their braids and being housed with the male population. While not every interaction participants described with law enforcement was problematic, the existence of a pattern of severe maltreatment is unacceptable at any frequency, given the power entrusted in law enforcement officers to act as an arm of the justice system and the mandate of police to keep all citizens safe (Graham et al 2008).…”

Social determinants of health among African–American men

“…At the same time, there is evidence to suggest a connection between incarceration and health status [40,41]. As noted earlier, it has been suggested that stress can lead to poor health outcomes [22].…”

Outreach Strategies to Recruit Low-Income African American Men to Participate in Health Promotion Programs and Research: Lessons From the Men of Color Health Awareness (MOCHA) Project

“…While there are slightly fewer men than women (49% vs. 51%) in the total population, there are now only 83 African American men for every 100 African American women, a phenomenon referred to as “missing men” ( Williams, 2006 ). In other words, 17% of Black men have been forcibly removed from their communities ( Graham, Braithwaite, & Treadwell, 2008 ). The two major factors cited to account for this large discrepancy are incarceration and premature mortality.…”